Senate, Governor General approve COVID-19 bailout bill

Senators took about two hours to consider the bill, half of which was spent questioning Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

Conservative Senator Leo Housakos reprised his old role as Senate Speaker for a day on March 25, stepping in temporarily in place of Sen. George Furey as a small contingent of Senators—most from within driving distance of Ottawa—met to pass the government's COVID-19 bailout bill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Senate passed the government’s financial bailout bill for the COVID-19 crisis without amendments on March 25, and the bill received royal assent early the same afternoon.

Unless Trudeau plans to be out on these streets, fighting against police brutality or in cabinet drafting legislation to curb police powers, his, and all the other white voices of his ilk, have no merit here.

'I do agree that things need to be implemented as quickly as possible. We could've done this a lot sooner. The good news is that we’re doing it now and announcing it today,' says Transport Minister Marc Garneau.